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Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes are the easiest way to make perfectly cooked sweet potatoes with little effort and faster than in the oven. Easily adjust the cook time based on size – I have even included a guide to cook times for you!
While my Sweet Potato Pie and Sweet Potato Casserole will definitely satisfy your sweet tooth, sometimes you just want a simple baked sweet potato. Baking in the oven takes an hour, but Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes are ready in a fraction of the time!
Table of Contents
Why We Love Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes
- They cook faster – WAY faster than cooking in the slow cooker and even faster than the oven.
- Tender on the inside – The results are super tender and almost creamy on the inside.
- Easy and totally hands-off – Just add to the Instant Pot and let it do all the work!
How To Cook Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes
See recipe card below for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Making pressure cooker sweet potatoes couldn’t be easier and I love that it’s hands off!
- Prep Potatoes – To prep the potatoes, rinse and scrub them then pierce each with a fork 5-10 times around.
- Add to Instant Pot – Add the water to your Instant Pot, then add the trivet and place the sweet potatoes on top.
- Pressure Cook – Place the lid on and turn to “seal.” Cook on manual high pressure and set the cook time based on the size of your sweet potatoes. See notes below!
- Release Pressure – When the time is up, release the pressure naturally for 10 minutes (just let it sit), then do a quick release for the remaining pressure.
- Serve – Serve as desired and enjoy.
Cooking Time by Size
The cook time will vary based on the size of the sweet potatoes. Grab your kitchen scale, here is the rule of thumb to follow for the cook time:
- Small (6-8 ounces): 12-15 minutes
- Medium (8-12 ounces): 18-20 minutes
- Large (12-16 ounces): 25-30 minutes
FAQs
You can use either a 6qt or 8qt Instant Pot with no adjustment to the cook time. The only difference is the amount of water used:
6 Quart Instant Pot – 1 cup of water
8 Quart Instant Pot – 1.5 cups of water
Sweet Potatoes typically cook a little faster than regular russet potatoes, but the size of the potato is the key factor that impacts the cook time.
Sweet potatoes do have a little more natural sugar than normal potatoes, but they are high in fiber and other nutrients!
Serving Suggestions
For a simple serving option (which is my go-to!) try splitting open the potatoes and serving with a little butter, salt, and pepper. Or try stuffing them with taco meat. You can also turn them into other side dishes like a Sweet Potato Casserole, Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes, or Brown Sugar Mashed Sweet Potatoes.
Variations
- Regular Potatoes in the Instant Pot – You can use this same technique to cook regular potatoes as well – follow this recipe.
- Classic Baked in the Oven – After scrubbing the potatoes and piercing with a fork, place in a 425 degrees F oven and bake for 40-50 minutes. They are done when they can be easily pierced with a fork.
Storage and Reheating
Storage – Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheating – They can be reheated easily in the microwave or in a 400 degrees F oven for 10-15 minutes until warmed.
- Adjust Cook Time for Size – Make sure to adjust the cook time based on the weight of your potatoes.
- Additional Cook Time if Needed – If your sweet potatoes are not soft enough after releasing the pressure, you can replace the lid and let the pot come back to pressure and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes.
More Instant Pot Recipes
Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2.5 pounds medium sweet potatoes (4) look for potatoes that are roughly the same width and weight.
- Water
Instructions
- Rinse and scrub the sweet potatoes. Piece with a fork 5-10 times all around.
- Add 1 cup of water to a 6-quart Instant Pot and 1 ½ cups of water for an 8-quart IP.
- Place the trivet in the bottom of the pot and add the sweet potatoes.
- Place the lid on and turn to “seal.” Set to “high pressure,” then select “manual” and set the timer for 20 minutes for medium size sweet potatoes (about 2-3 inches in width). It will take about 10 minutes to come up to pressure. *For more information on sizing, read the notes below.
- When the time is up, release pressure naturally for 10 minutes, then do a quick release for the remaining pressure.
- If your sweet potatoes are not soft enough at this point, replace the lid and let the pot come back to pressure and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes.
- Serve as desired – split open with a pat of butter, salt and pepper is how we like them! (chopped parsley may be needed for color, but the pepper and butter may be enough.
Notes
- Small (6-8 ounces): 12-15 minutes
- Medium (8-12 ounces): 18-20 minutes
- Large (12-16 ounces): 25-30 minutes
set the timer for 30 minutes for medium size sweet potatoes (about 2-3 inches in width).
Medium (8-12 ounces): 18-20 minutes
The above certainly are not the same for “medium” sweet potatoes. Which is correct?
Thank you for your kind note – it was a typo and should have said 20 minutes.